A POLITICAL controversy has erupted in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State following allegations made by Dewan Kudangbena Gabriel against federal lawmaker Yusuf Adamu Gagdi over claims relating to development projects in the constituency.
News Point Nigeria reports that speaking during a live interview with journalist Samson Omale, Dewan accused the lawmaker of allegedly misleading the public regarding infrastructure and empowerment projects said to have been executed in Pankshin.
According to Dewan, claims that nine roads were constructed in the area are inaccurate, insisting that the projects being referenced were either incomplete or nonexistent. He maintained that residents could not verify the roads cited by the lawmaker.
Dewan also questioned assertions that boreholes had been provided across all polling units within the constituency. He argued that several communities and polling units still lack access to clean water, challenging the narrative that the water projects had been fully implemented.
On youth empowerment, Dewan disputed claims that 159 youths secured employment through the intervention of the lawmaker. He challenged anyone with evidence or contact details of the alleged beneficiaries to come forward, promising to personally reward any individual who could substantiate the claim.
He further urged journalists and media practitioners to intensify investigative reporting and ensure that public claims made by politicians are thoroughly verified before publication.
According to him, accountability and fact-based journalism remain critical to strengthening public trust and democratic governance.
The allegations have since generated reactions among political observers and residents across the constituency, with many calling for transparency and independent verification of the projects in question.
The development has also sparked renewed debate over political accountability and the need for public office holders to provide verifiable evidence of constituency projects and empowerment programmes.
